Agitating whipper and method

ABSTRACT

An agitating whipper equipped with a wire-tines assembly adapted to rotate about an axis moving in an eccentric path with respect to a mixing bowl is equipped with baffles mounted within the tines, the baffles being poised to deflect a liquid suspension or solution in the course of emulsification thereof to thereby promote consistent and controlled mixing and overrun.

United States Patent Wass et al. July 1, 1975 AGITATING WHIPPER AND METHOD 2,102125 12/1937 Mink 259/5 2.7l5 5l9 8/]955 Schwalbe... 259/DIG. 29 [75] Inventors. James J. Wass, Carmel, .loseph G. 3.166303 1,1965 Chapman 416,200 X Meehan Hopewell Juncmm both Of 3,526,467 9 1970 Kime 416/200 N.Y.

[73] Assignee: General Foods Corporation, White Primary Emminer-HarVeY Hornsby Plains, NY. Assistant ExaminerAlan Cantor Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bruno P. Struzzi; Thomas 1 Flledi 1973 V. Sullivan; Michael J. Quillinan [2!] Appl. No: 337,808

[57] ABSTRACT [52] [1.8. CI. 259/5; 259/2l; 259/40; An gi ing Whipper equipped with a wire-tines as- 259/D|(] 29 sembly adapted to rotate about an axis moving in an [51] Int. Cl B0" 7/30 eceefltric p h ith respect to a mixing bowl is [58] Field of Sear h 259/5 21 40, 64. 102 equipped with baffles mounted within the tines, the 259/DIG, 28, DIG, 29; 416/175 200 baffles being poised to deflect a liquid suspension or solution in the course of emulsification thereof to [56] Referen e Cit d thereby promote consistent and controlled mixing and UNITED STATES PATENTS Overrunl,240,355 9/19l7 MacMoran 259/DIG. 29 16 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures I49 I: 6 3r 2,388 saw a AGITATING WHIPPER AND METHOD INTRODUCTION This invention relates to an improved mixing and whipping apparatus and method whereby emulsified ingredients are more consistently whipped to a predictable and controllable volumetric overrun.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One of the most common pieces of equipment employed in unit operations is a planetary mixing whipper which may be variously equipped with whips and beater knives or arms operative to effectively hydrate, intermix, whip and eventually generate a uniform pattern of distribution in a liquid medium. One of the more frequent applications for such devices is food processing wherein emulsions are converted into a high overrun for sale as toppings and like oil-in-water systems wherein air is incorporated to provide a uniform and delicate light texture to a product. In such food applications where the ultimate composition is sold as such, it is imperative that control of the volume of the comestible and like goods be exercised inasmuch as such compositions are customarily volumetrically filled and hence require consistent overrun meeting declared weight label tolerances.

So far as is presently known, agitator whippers and methods of employing same are not specially designed to provide such control as would permit a processor to enjoy manufacturing economies by more consistently meeting close overrun tolerances. Thus, it becomes desirable in manufacturing a topping and like overrun comestible to have a whipper that will serve to generate a predictable overrun by reason of a more consistent viscosity development.

To explain further, the whipping of aqueous suspensions and solutions and like liquid preparations will achieve a decrease in viscosity as the solids become hydrated. The tines on a typical wire whip which turn at high speeds serve to promote overrun and viscosity changes for the liquid medium. With continued whipping and churning the liquid medium is inclined to partition into a relatively high viscosity phase and a less viscous one. Such phase separation in mixing is not desired since it gives rise to eccentricities in viscosity and unpredictability in whip volume. While whip agitators have been designed with planetary movements within the mixing bowl in order to promote uniform mixing, there has nevertheless been a tendency for the liquid phase to segregate into a less viscous and a more viscous condition with consequent unpredictabilities in generating overrun. It would be desirable for quantity production at reduced cost to continuously feed liquid at the bottom of a planetary whippers bowl and withdraw the whipped product as an overflow from the bowl. But when employing such a system viscosity variations greatly limit the ability to meet manufacturing tolerances as aforesaid.

It is, therefore. among the objects of the present invention to ameliorate such eccentricities and variations and provide a method whereby a liquid such as a topping or other aqueous emulsion composition can be consistently aerated to a high overrun state incident to which agitation there will be a more uniform viscosity development. A more specific objective is to provide a continuous whipper agitator which possesses these operating characteristics whereby a liquid medium can be charged to the whipping zone and continuously withdrawn as an overflow at a predictable overrun.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION This invention is founded upon the discovery that baffling means can be advantageously located within the locus defined by the rotating tines of a given whip in a planetary whipper. In accordance with its more particular aspects, the invention involves the mounting of baffle means which serve to intercept the liquid medium passing intermediate the tines and deflect that medium in a direction opposite to that which it would normally move as a consequence of whipping. A plurality of baffles are mounted within the cage defined by the tines of the wire whip, the baffles being located on a common axis therewith and being adapted to rotate therewith, intercept the mixed liquids and deflect them with turbulence radially whereupon they rise at a lower density to at least one pair of superadjacent like baffles located on said axis. Means are provided for continuously charging the lower extremity the mixing vessel with liquid composition and means are provided for continuously withdrawing the whipped composition at the upper extremity of the vessel as by decantation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the accompanying drawings of the agitator of this invention,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a planetary mixer equipped with the whipper of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the same device;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view with parts broken away at a plane just above the mixing bowl of the device;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation view of the agitator vessel showing the whipping structure in place;

FIG. 5 is a still further enlarged elevational view of the whipping assembly per se;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the assembly in FIG. 5 taken along line 6--6; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of baffle means in the whipper assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the agitator whipper drive and mixing vessel will be seen to comprise a conventional planetary mixer having a base I and pedestal 2 mounting a motor 3 driving through a planetary gear train 4 an agitator shaft mount 5 within bowl 6 mounted on a bowl support 7 adapted to be lifted by lift screw means 8 for spatially adjusting bowl and agitator placement.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 47 detailing the most preferred form of agitator whipper, it will be noted that the agitator generally comprises a wire whip l0 consisting ofa plurality of tines 12 assembled to form upon rotation the locus of a cylinder that converges at one end to a semi-sphere, the tines being permanently anchored at their lower extremity 14 upon shaft extremity I6 and being mounted at their upper extremity or free end upon a disk 18 also fixedly mounted upon shaft 16 for rotation therewith all of which constitutes prior art but which in cooperation with the elements of the present invention are intended to provide a specific operative effect. The disk 18 has perforations formed therein for weight reduction and minimizing load upon the whipper assembly per se.

The shaft has mounted thereon a plurality of planar radial baffles 26, each baffle being fixedly mounted upon shaft It); the baffles may be adjustably mounted if liquids of varying mixing characteristics are used. The shape of each baffle is such that it has sufficient planar width radially of shaft lo to intercept. obstruct and deflect ilovv of liquid as will be described hereinafter. The baffles rc-tutc within the perimeter or confines of whip tines l2 and are spaced at their lateral free edges from the tines The lower baffles as shown for instance at 12 in the semi'spherical region of the whiplocus are arcuately shaped so as to similarly terminate short of the tines but be substantially complementary thereto so that the assembly of baffles in both the cylindrical and serni-sphcrical section of the whip are in a close proximity at their lateral free edges to the corresponding regions of the tines in the whip assembly.

The baffles rotate in the whip assembly in a counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 6, the whip- .issembly being mounted for planetary clockwise rotation within bowl 6 and forming what is referred to herein as a whipping zone. The howl comprises a cylindrical wall portion 26 and a semi-spherical portion 28. The whip-baffle assembly rotates as seen in FIGS. 1-3 in a generally circular path proximate but spaced from the bowl wall as shown in FIG. ft. The liquid such as a topping emulsion is fed continuously to the lower regions of the mixing bowl through port 30. With con tinuing rotation of tines 12 the emulsion passes therethrough at the semi-spherical regions thereof and is deflected hy the lower pair of baffles 22 forming what is referred to herein as a first baffle zone. With continued uniform feeding of emulsion through port the aerated emuls|on undergoes an incremental viscosity change as the vessel is filled and continued to be operated as one proceeds from the outer extremity to the inner extremity of the bowl. Thus, the emulsion within the locus of the vv hip but proximate the shaft is less viscous than the regions proximate the tines.

Advantageously. by virtue of the haffles arrangement as shown, emulsion viscosity irregularities are mini mixed as the emulsion is intercepted by each ofthe bafties and is deflected axially downwardly and radially. The emulsion in turn is pumped or redirected in the direction ofthe tines and then radially outwardly through the locus defined by the tines. With continued rotation of the shaft, the emulsion overrun increases and it rises within the region intermediate the lateral free edges of the baffles and the bowl wall. With rotation continued further and cavitation induced by the baffles, the emul sion is reintroduced to within the perimeter of the tines of the whip to again he intercepted in a second battle zone by a superadjacent baffle pair and is again det lectcd. Thus, as rotation proceeds and the emulsified compositi n undergoes progressive density reduction and as successive supervening baffles intercept and deflect the rising emulsion there results a complete and uniform mixing the resulting emulsion viscosity is unite uniform lhe baffles themselves function to regu late ascent of the emulsion to a predetermined height whereut the intended overrun and density reducity is determinable i the ascent of the emulsion within the bowl. Eonsequently, the emulsion can be withdrawn as an overflow by tlctgzintation through a weir generally hown as 32 mounted in an opening in the vessel wall 34. The Ll" .lof tour in ofthe wire-baffle assembly and of the bowl is .it an ac. e align to the vertical in order to tilt the bowl and thereby assure positive displacement of the emulsion to and through the weir. 50 controllable is the overrun the emulsion can be predictably decanted at a given height in wall 26 correlatable with a specified emulsion overrun.

This permits the agitator-whipper to be operated continuously with charge emulsion being introduced through orifice 30 and being continuously withdrawn through overflow weir 32 while at the same time achieving a predictable consistent viscosity, density reduction and overrun.

Overflow is very uniform across the perimeter of the weir opening by reason of the homogenous character and distribution of product,

Baffles 20 and 22 will generally be poised so that a pair of baffles will be mounted at the same level on shaft 16; the baffle planes will intersect at an acute angle with respect to one another (alpha) as well as with respect to the shaft (beta), the shaft intersect angle (beta) as well as the baffle intersect angle (alpha) being functions of the particular emulsion. The respective shaft intersect and baffle intersect angles for each pair of baffles will preferably be the same. In this connection, supcradjacent pairs of baffles will be mounted on the shaft offset from one another at the lines of intersection of the baffle planes. Thus, the planes of a pair of baffles mounted at a given height on the shaft will be at an angle preferably in the order of to the corresponding intersect lines of a superjacent baffle pair. In this way, superjacent baffle pairs divide the mixing area into a plurality of mixing and whipping regions, the number of such region being determined by the whipping required for a given emulsion. Generally, at least two and preferably three baffle pairs will be mounted for rotation within the cylindrical locus of the tine-wire assembly and one baffle pair of like shafttixation will be located within the hemispherical region of said locus.

Viewed axially as shown in FIGv 5, the deflecting zone of the baffles in a given pair thereof will be spaced preferably from the deflecting zone of an adjacent pair of baffles such that they will he a space axially between superjacent adjoining baffles; this spacing will be a function of the intended and desired mixing, the space between adjacent baffles being sufficient to promote such mixing. 7

Although the invention has been described in refer ence to the foregoing drawings in connection with a particular wire whip configuration, an agitator that is non-cylindrical may similarly be equipped with a wire whip having different geometric pattern all within the same inventive spirit. Thus the whip may define the locus of a sphere, an ellipsoid, a hemi-ellipsoid or the envelope ofa spiral's rotation. Although not every whip configuration has been tested, a sufficient number of tests have been made to permit the general ohservations that replacing the standard whippers with a baffletype whipper of this invention results in a decrease in both viscosity and overrun of oil-in-water emulsions with continuous product discharge from the bowl appearing more uniform and product being more consisently scraped" from the bowl sides. Circulation is r improved to a point where dead zones of underhipped emulsion are lessened.

with is claimed is;

I. An agitator whippcr comprising a bowl and a tine whippcr assembly mounted for planetary movement in said bowl, said assembly comprising a plurality of tines mounted upon a common shaft and baffle means also mounted on said shaft within the perimeter defined by said tines, said baffle means being of sufficient radial width to intercept, obstruct and deflect liquid ascent within said assembly, said baffle means comprising a plurality of baffles each of whose planes are poised at an acute angle with respect to the shaft, and means for admitting a whippable composition intermediate the bowl wall and said assembly at a location beneath said assembly whereby said baffle means restrict axial flow within said assembly.

2. The whipper of claim 1 wherein said baffle means comprise at least two pairs of superadjacent baffles each mounted at an acute shaft angle formed by the respective baffle planes and the shaft axis whereby the baffles are poised to intercept, obstruct and radially redirect the liquid upon rotation therein through the locus of the rotating whipping tines.

3. The whipper of claim 2 wherein at least one pair of baffles are mounted at a common shaft elevation and whose planes intersect at an acute angle.

4. The whipper of claim 2 wherein the shape of each baffle is such that it has sufficient radial width to rotate within the perimeter of the whip tines and be spaced therefrom at their lateral free edges so as to be in close proximity to corresponding regions of the tines in said whip assembly.

5. The whipper of claim 4 wherein said assembly comprises a plurality of tines assembled to form upon rotation the locus of a cylinder that converges at one end to form a hemisphere, the lower baffles in the hemispherical region of the whip locus being arcuately shaped at their lateral extremities so as to terminate short of the tines but be substantially complementary thereto upon rotation therewithin.

6. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the bowl has an entry port proximate the lower extremity thereof adapted to continuously receive a liquid charge and wherein the bowl has an exit port at its upper extremity adapted to continuously overflow liquid whipped in said agitator.

7. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the baffle means comprise a plurality of baffle pairs mounted upon said shaft, each of said baffle pairs being spaced from one another along the length of said shaft and adjacent pairs being circumferentially offset, each of said baffles being fixedly mounted upon said shaft and poised at an acute angle thereto whereby the baffles intercept, obstruct and radially redirect liquid upon rotation therein through the locus of the rotating whipping tines.

8. The whipper of claim 7 wherein the planes of each baffle in each pair thereof intersect at an acute baffle angle.

9. The whipper of claim 7 wherein the bowl has an entry port proximate the lower extremity thereof adapted to continuously receive a liquid charge and wherein the bowl has an exit port at its upper extremity adapted to continuously overflow liquid whipped in said agitator, the superposed baffle pairs being axially spaced sufficiently from one another to permit lower density liquid deflected from a lower baffle pair through the tines to reenter the locus of the rotating whipping tines and be acted upon by a super-adjacent baffle pair.

10. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the tines are assembled about said axis to form a cylindrical locus of tines rotation.

11. The whipper of claim 1 wherein one extremity of the tines are gathered and mounted at their free ends to the free end of said shaft to form a semi-spherical locus of tines rotation.

12. The whipper of claim 11 wherein the bowl has a semi-spherical portion and wherein the gathered extremity of said tines moves in a planetary path proximate but spaced from the face of the bowls semispherical portion.

13. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the lateral free edges of the baffles in said assembly terminate short of the tines, but are substantially complementary thereto.

14. In the method of whipping by charging liquid to a mixing bowl wherein a tine whipper assembly is mounted for high speed rotation with a planetary movement and creates a whipping zone within the bowl, the improvement which comprisesadmitting a whippable composition intermediate the bowl wall and said assembly at a location beneath said assembly and creating a plurality of baffling zones for the liquid passing the tines, liquid being caused to enter each of said baffling zones from said whipping zone and being intercepted, obstructed and deflected radially back through said whipping zones to a zone external to the locus of the rotating tines at a reduced density whereby said reduced-density liquid rises in the mass thereof, continuing said rotation and movement and causing said risen liquid to reenter and pass the whipping zone to reenter the area within the rotating tines and occupy a second baffling zone super-adjacent the first zone wherein the liquid is redirected radially and is again returned through the whipping zone at a still lower density, each of said baffling zones being defined by baffle means comprising a plurality of baffles each of whose planes are poised at an acute angle with respect to their rotation axis.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein liquid is continuously charged to the bottom of the bowl and is continuously withdrawn as an overflow from the top of the bowl.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the liquid being charged to the mixing bowl is an oil-in-water emulsion adapted to have air incorporated therein to provide a uniform and delicate light product texture and wherein said liquid is fed continuously to the lower regions intermediate the tine whipper assembly and the bowl whereby an aerated emulsion is created which undergoes incremental viscosity change as the vessel is operated and as emulsion is caused to be deflected axially, downwardly and radially and is thereafter redirected through induced cavitation within the perimeter of the tines assembly. 

1. An agitator whipper comprising a bowl and a tine whipper assembly mounted for planetary movement in said bowl, said assembly comprising a plurality of tines mounted upon a common shaft and baffle means also mounted on said shaft within the perimeter defined by said tines, said baffle means being of sufficient radial width to intercept, obstruct and deflect liquid ascent within said assembly, said baffle means comprising a plurality of baffles each of whose planes are poised at an acute angle with respect to the shaft, and means for admitting a whippable composition intermediate the bowl wall and said assembly at a location beneath said assembly whereby said baffle means restrict axial flow within said assembly.
 2. The whipper of claim 1 wherein said baffle means comprise at least two pairs of superadjacent baffles each mounted at an acute shaft angle formed by the respective baffle planes and the shaft axis whereby the baffles are poised to intercept, obstruct and radially redirect the liquid upon rotation therein through the locus of the rotating whipping tines.
 3. The whipper of claim 2 wherein at least one pair of baffles are mounted at a common shaft elevation and whose planes intersect at an acute angle.
 4. The whipper of claim 2 wherein the shape of each baffle is such that it has sufficient radial width to rotate within the perimeter of the whip tines and be spaced therefrom at their lateral free edges so as to be in close proximity to corresponding regions of the tines in said whip aSsembly.
 5. The whipper of claim 4 wherein said assembly comprises a plurality of tines assembled to form upon rotation the locus of a cylinder that converges at one end to form a hemisphere, the lower baffles in the hemispherical region of the whip locus being arcuately shaped at their lateral extremities so as to terminate short of the tines but be substantially complementary thereto upon rotation therewithin.
 6. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the bowl has an entry port proximate the lower extremity thereof adapted to continuously receive a liquid charge and wherein the bowl has an exit port at its upper extremity adapted to continuously overflow liquid whipped in said agitator.
 7. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the baffle means comprise a plurality of baffle pairs mounted upon said shaft, each of said baffle pairs being spaced from one another along the length of said shaft and adjacent pairs being circumferentially offset, each of said baffles being fixedly mounted upon said shaft and poised at an acute angle thereto whereby the baffles intercept, obstruct and radially redirect liquid upon rotation therein through the locus of the rotating whipping tines.
 8. The whipper of claim 7 wherein the planes of each baffle in each pair thereof intersect at an acute baffle angle.
 9. The whipper of claim 7 wherein the bowl has an entry port proximate the lower extremity thereof adapted to continuously receive a liquid charge and wherein the bowl has an exit port at its upper extremity adapted to continuously overflow liquid whipped in said agitator, the superposed baffle pairs being axially spaced sufficiently from one another to permit lower density liquid deflected from a lower baffle pair through the tines to reenter the locus of the rotating whipping tines and be acted upon by a super-adjacent baffle pair.
 10. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the tines are assembled about said axis to form a cylindrical locus of tines rotation.
 11. The whipper of claim 1 wherein one extremity of the tines are gathered and mounted at their free ends to the free end of said shaft to form a semi-spherical locus of tines rotation.
 12. The whipper of claim 11 wherein the bowl has a semi-spherical portion and wherein the gathered extremity of said tines moves in a planetary path proximate but spaced from the face of the bowl''s semi-spherical portion.
 13. The whipper of claim 1 wherein the lateral free edges of the baffles in said assembly terminate short of the tines, but are substantially complementary thereto.
 14. In the method of whipping by charging liquid to a mixing bowl wherein a tine whipper assembly is mounted for high speed rotation with a planetary movement and creates a whipping zone within the bowl, the improvement which comprises-admitting a whippable composition intermediate the bowl wall and said assembly at a location beneath said assembly and creating a plurality of baffling zones for the liquid passing the tines, liquid being caused to enter each of said baffling zones from said whipping zone and being intercepted, obstructed and deflected radially back through said whipping zones to a zone external to the locus of the rotating tines at a reduced density whereby said reduced-density liquid rises in the mass thereof, continuing said rotation and movement and causing said risen liquid to reenter and pass the whipping zone to reenter the area within the rotating tines and occupy a second baffling zone super-adjacent the first zone wherein the liquid is redirected radially and is again returned through the whipping zone at a still lower density, each of said baffling zones being defined by baffle means comprising a plurality of baffles each of whose planes are poised at an acute angle with respect to their rotation axis.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein liquid is continuously charged to the bottom of the bowl and is continuously withdrawn as an overflow from the top of the bowl.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the liquid being charged To the mixing bowl is an oil-in-water emulsion adapted to have air incorporated therein to provide a uniform and delicate light product texture and wherein said liquid is fed continuously to the lower regions intermediate the tine whipper assembly and the bowl whereby an aerated emulsion is created which undergoes incremental viscosity change as the vessel is operated and as emulsion is caused to be deflected axially, downwardly and radially and is thereafter redirected through induced cavitation within the perimeter of the tines assembly. 